"There will be plenty of time to read after. I know I want to see their music library and I have to read Keggruk's book. This will help pay for copied excerpts."
Candlekeep
"There will be plenty of time to read after. I know I want to see their music library and I have to read Keggruk's book. This will help pay for copied excerpts."
"good morning! I’m looking to rent some horses as well as a team of draft horses, or mules either is fine"
"...But then that only leaves six hours for studying and copying star charts and geography...I suppose I could make my own later but..."
Why are lost caravans probably destroyed by bandits and monsters so common...? she bemoans. Over the last decade or so, the Ten Towns had significantly reduced attacks like that, but not so here, it seemed. Probably why Candlekeep had to be a fortress, and not just a library.
"I mean—there's so much I have to see!" She bounces on the bed slightly and turns her tome around, revealing a map of topics times and locations even an expert archeologist might have trouble deciphering.
She stars flipping pages. "If I can find a way to quickly make copies myself, I could—"
She suddenly freezes on a set of pages. A few of the yellow specks in her eyes flash into to fiery red ones. She starts flipping pages and her eyes skitter across the pages, becoming increasingly horrified.
Throughout and atop the pages in this section of her tome were scribbles, blotches, and tiny handprints, littering the each sheet. One of them was signed Papa, probably her father attempting some heartfelt letter she did not want to read right now.
The rest...well, those were from little Glen—Papa probably left it on the table or something else idiotic when he decided to vandalize her things. At least Mama and Lily, it seemed, had enough sense to leave them alone...
Stella purses her lips and inhales deeply...and keeps inhaling...and holds it...
"Well. I can scream about that later."
She slams her tome shut and hops off the bed, then forces a smile.
"Searching for caravan wreckage sounds great!"
I also ask him to look over my weapons and armor for any repairs or issues with the metal.
He returns a half hour later with a stack of books. The shock is gone from his face, and in its place is fascination. Without taking his eyes off of Bert and Ossein, Mesen places books down on the table one by one.
Folk speak Hoar’s name when they want revenge, particularly when they are incapable of avenging themselves. This invocation might be in response to a petty slight or a true injustice, and the acknowledgment of Hoar might be a short prayer said aloud or might be written down somewhere. It’s generally believed that the more permanent the form of the prayer, the more likely it is to be fulfilled. For this reason, some etch their prayers in lead and bury it or hide their prayers inside diaries. Aside from bounty hunters and those on crusades of vengeance, few truly revere Hoar, and he is served by fewer still who would call themselves priests. Temples or shrines of Hoar are almost nonexistent except for ancient sites in Chessenta and Unther.
Hoar became a member of the Faerûnian pantheon when his worship extended beyond the lands that originally revered him. Most consider Tyr to be the arbiter of laws, and Hoar to be the god who metes out punishment that comes as a result of breaking those codes. A judge might favor the worship of Tyr, while a jailor or a headsman is more likely to pray to Hoar.
Necromancy cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
The touch of your hand drains a target’s life energy,
allowing you to sacrifice animals or sometimes
other creatures to make their vitality your own.
Make a melee spell attack against a conscious living
creature within range. You have advantage if your
target is a beast. On a hit, the target takes 1d6
necrotic damage, and you gain temporary hit points
equal to half the damage dealt (rounded up). The
spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th
level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
Lesser Acupuncture
Necromancy cantrip
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Components: S, M (acupuncturist’s needles)
Duration: Instantaneous
Inserting needles into precise centers of ki in the
body, you energize a creature’s natural healing
abilities. The creature may spend 1 Hit Die, and it it
can roll 1d4 and add the result to any Constitution
saving throws it makes before the end of its next
turn. Once a creature benefits from this cantrip, it
cannot benefit from it again until it finishes a short
or long rest.
As you gain levels, the number of Hit Dice the
affected creature can spend increases. When you
reach 5th level, the creature can spend up to 2 Hit
Dice, at 11th level it can spend up to 3, and at 17th
level it can spend up to 4. This spell has no effect on
undead or constructs.
Blade of Nightmares
1st-level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
The next time you hit a creature with a weapon
attack before this spell ends, your weapon is
weathed in dark energy that freezes your foe in
terror. The attack deals an extra 1d6 psychic
damage, and if the target is not immune to the
frightened condition, its speed is reduced to 0 until
the end of its next turn. If the attack was an
opportunity attack, the target is also frightened
until the end of its next turn.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using
a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the extra damage
increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.
Despite its nihilism, Blackrazor feels a strange kinship to Wave and Whelm, two other weapons locked away under White Plume Mountain. It wants the three weapons to be united again and wielded together in combat, even though it violently disagrees with Whelm and finds Wave tedious.
Blackrazor’s hunger for souls must be regularly fed. If the sword goes three days or more without consuming a soul, a conflict between it and its wielder occurs at the next sunset.
His expression darkens at the mention of iron. "Well, lad... Those what be namin' things be callin' it the Iron Crisis. All I know is tha' all the iron in the region seems ta be rubbish. The new stuff, at least. Thank goodness the old be holdin' its own, or I'd be thinkin' I offended the Morndinsamman (Dwarven pantheon)." He rubs his beard. "Aye, we entreated tha' Iron Throne for premium ore, hopin' it do us better, but I heard their caravan was waylaid."
Khe'ril folds his thick arms across his chest and shakes his head. "To make matters worse, they say trade from North an' South be cut off by bandits. The land around Baldur's Gate hasn't seen a shipment o' iron from outside the region in months. I cannae say what the solution be. Perhaps a god or goddess has cursed this land."
Aren't ogres supposed to be stupid? He is sure that someone told him that. So why is the ogre here in Candlekeep? Why is it reading? Could ogres even read? What book could fascinate such a stupid monster?
As Rift mulls over these questions, he takes a sip of his drink. The liquid assaults his mouth in more ways than he knew was possible. He stops himself from gagging, but it's a close thing. What a terrible drink! He shudders and pushes the mug away.
Thank you again for the conversation, one last question before I need to meet my companions... I have been hired to collect the caravan that was attacked, or at least it’s contents. From my recollection, it was the axle that snapped and woke up the horde of gibberlings. Do you have a spare axle that I could buy, or any advice on making a new one from wood?
Wrapping Ug's loincloth around his waist (multiple times with how big it was), the loincloth was more of long apron than anything else, sheemish eagerly volunteers for the salvage mission and as there is a bit of time between meeting at the gate he does the next best thing on his mind, and goes to visit the Smithy.
He enters just in time to hear the Smithy discussing the Iron Crisis. Poor quality metal?
Approaching the blacksmith and with the best dwarfish bow that a man of his height could impersonate, Sheemish politely joins the conversation, also in the dwarfish tongue. "Pardon me Master Smithy, but may I have a good look at that?" he asks gesturing to the blade the smithy was working on. With a trained blacksmith's eye Sheemish inspects the iron trying to discern its origins and cause for imperfections.
If Sheemish needs a persuasion check, he would show proof of his admittance into the blacksmith's guild, probably as an insignia on his satchel or or clothing?
Rolls
History of poor quality iron - (1d20+5)
(16) + 5 = 21
Your Intelligence score is 19 while you wear this headband. It has no effect on you if your Intelligence is 19 or higher without it.
"How's the book, Little One?"
"Good to see you, Little One."
"Little One, you must try this book on the history of Halruaa!"
The ogre smiles a gap-toothed smile at each patron and murmurs thanks for the new book.
As Sheemish inspects the iron blade, he does see that, yes, the metal seems corroded somehow. He isn't sure how it came to be this way, but its obvious the weapon won't hold up in combat. If all iron in the region is like this, it's a serious problem.
Khe'ril nods gravely. "The ore come from Nashkel, to the south. They've a mine there tha' supplies us, Baldur's Gate, an' the towns round about. Technically it's a part o' Amn, though, an' nae Baldur's Gate. They don' have the best o' relations, those two, but we at Candlekeep stay out o' the politics."
As soon as the books hit the table, Bert has found "Still, My Beating Heart", picked it up and appears to already be lost in the book.
"Ok Bert, I think I'd like to start on "A Weapon Most Vile", so if you don't mind picking up that one first...Oh, I see you've already chosen haven't you? Thank you for including me in this decision Bert...Bert...BERT!"
...."I can't, I just can't be with you Morloch" Brittany complained.
She was protesting, but he could tell by how her body was pressed up against his that she didn't mean it. She continued, "Bobby at the temple asked about you again. I'm worried he'll figure out the truth soon. I could never go back to being with him, not after he slept with my sister. And if I don't, I'm certain he'll get me kicked out of the Order, or worse, transferred."
"Don't worry about any of that darling. I've found the solution to everything.", Morloch contested. Pulling out a small box, he presented it to Brittany, opening it slowly.
"A ring!?", Brittany squealed. "You told me you didn't believe in marriage."
"I don't, this ring is more than a marriage proposal. This, this is my phylactery. It took some doing to make it into the shape of a ring, but I succeeded in becoming a lich like I've always wanted. And now you literally hold my heart in your hand, for eternity."
Stunned, Brittany's eyes lose focus, and her legs buckle. Quickly catching her from her faint, Morloch picks her up and gently places her in the bed. Her eyes flutter open when he places a gentle kiss on her lips.
"*sigh* I guess we'll take another book for Bert here, but please don't bring it by until after we've finished with the rest of these. Otherwise we'll never get anything done."
They probably won't notice I'm gone, Wirrow thinks as she crosses the courtyard, where shadows ever so slowly are beginning to lengthen. Though Stella might already be where I'm going; she seemed excited from the moment we got here.
The pale girl finally comes to a stop somewhere within the Pillars of Pretentiousness, which she would be mentally pretending was the name until something she sees or hears reminds her of the correct one. It seemed like the place for someone who'd had formal schooling; it certainly had sounded formal.
Looking for the nearest Avowed that doesn't seem otherwise occupied, Wirrow hesitantly approaches.
"Umm, excuse me... how does one take advantage of the knowledge found in the library?"
"Umm, excuse me... how does one take advantage of the knowledge found in the library?"
He shakes his head again and determinedly straightens up, focusing his attention on Wirrow. "Ah, I see you're an archer! Would you perhaps like to learn a little magic to go with your arrows? Anyway, I'm happy to find books on whatever topic you like. And, uh, the name's Mesen."
"And monstrology, or something like that... do you have anything about," Wirrow's voice drops to an almost fearful half-whisper, "...vampires?"
She tries to put a bit more confidence in her voice. The slight tremble in her tone and clenched hands shows she isn't quite successful. "How it, you know... works, the kinds of magic they might be able to use, that sort of thing..."
A stench that she picks up in the air helps her to regain most of her composure, taking her focus elsewhere. Was it coming from the place the boy had looked at? "Oh, umm... and it's okay if some of them aren't in Common." There, she did it! That had to be everything he needed for this conversation, right?
I then proceed to the stables to try and heal the injured horse that rescued me.
I take my time examining the horse and trying to heal it in a more conventional method before using my Lay on Hands.
Horse heals at least 1 hp?
Rolls
Medicine - Horse - (1d20+3)
(8) + 3 = 11
The Avowed returns sometime later with several books.
Jinx Shot
Enchantment cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: the normal range of your ranged weapon
Components: V, M (a ranged weapon)
Duration: Instantaneous
As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a ranged weapon attack against a creature within range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack's normal effects, and your enchanted shot renders your foe unaccountably clumsy. It has disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the start of your next turn. If that attack misses, it falls prone and the spell ends.
This spell's damage increases when you reach higher levels. At 5th level, the attack deals an extra 1d4 psychic damage to the target. This extra damage increases to 2d4 at 11th level and 3d4 at 17th level.
Vendetta Arrow
1st level evocation
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: 24 hours
You magically imbue a single piece of ammunition, such as an arrow, bolt, or sling stone, to strike with deadly effect against a particular foe. You name a creature type (aberration, beast, celestial, construct, dragon, elemental, fey, fiend, giant, humanoid, monstrosity, ooze, plant, or undead), you may name a species of creatures within that type (for example, if you chose giant, you might name half-ogres as a species), and you may name an individual creature of that species (for example, if you named orcs, you could choose the orc Uligar). If the enchanted ammunition strikes a creature of the chosen type, it deals an additional 3d6 force damage. If it strikes a creature of a chosen species within that type, it instead deals an additional 4d6 force damage.
If you shoot the ammunition at a chosen individual creature of that species, it instead deals an additional 5d6 force damage and the creature must make a Dexterity save or be blinded until the beginning of your next turn.
You may only have one instance of this spell active at a time. Casting it again causes the first piece of ammunition to lose its enchantment.
Dark Desires. Whether or not a vampire retains any memories from its former life, its emotional attachments wither as once-pure feelings become twisted by undeath. Love turns into hungry obsession, while friendship becomes bitter jealousy. In place of emotion, vampires pursue physical symbols of what they crave, so that a vampire seeking love might fixate on a young beauty. A child might become an object of fascination for a vampire obsessed with youth and potential. Others surround themselves with art, books, or sinister items such as torture devices or trophies from creatures they have killed.
Born from Death. Most of a vampire’s victims become vampire spawn — ravenous creatures with a vampire’s hunger for blood, but under the control of the vampire that created them. If a true vampire allows a spawn to draw blood from its own body, the spawn transforms into a true vampire no longer under its master’s control. Few vampires are willing to relinquish their control in this manner. Vampire spawn become free-willed when their creator dies.
Chained to the Grave. Every vampire remains bound to its coffin, crypt, or grave site, where it must rest by day. If a vampire didn’t receive a formal burial, it must lie beneath a foot of earth at the place of its transition to undeath. A vampire can move its place of burial by transporting its coffin or a significant amount of grave dirt to another location. Some vampires set up multiple resting places this way.
Undead Nature. Neither a vampire nor a vampire spawn requires air.
Transmutation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 hour
You can alter minor features of your appearance. The spell can’t make major changes to your appearance, such as altering your height or weight. However, you could make a scar or wrinkles appear on your face, or you could change the color or length of your hair. (OR if you wanna be a vampire, you could give yourself some nifty fangs!) For the duration, you may add +2 to any ability checks you make to create a visual disguise for yourself.
Shadowing Mark
1st-level divination
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 8 hours
You choose a creature you can see within range and place an invisible mark of shadow upon it. Until the spell ends, the target has disadvantage on Wisdom checks to find, notice, or discern information about you, and you have advantage on Wisdom checks to find, follow, or discern information about the target (SO you can stalk people LIKE A VAMPIRE!!!). Once before the spell ends, you can give yourself advantage on one weapon attack roll against the spell's current target during your turn. That attack deals an extra 1d12 psychic damage on a hit and scores a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
If the target drops to 0 hit points before this spell ends, you can use a bonus action on a subsequent turn of yours to mark a new creature.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can maintain your concentration on the spell for up to 24 hours, and you add your proficiency bonus to the psychic damage inflicted.
Skulking Spy
1st-level illusion
Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you would make a Dexterity check for initiative
Range: Self
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
At the moment hostilities begin, you can immediately seek to evade your foes' notice. As part of the reaction used to cast this spell, you can move up to your speed without provoking opportunity attacks, before initiative is resolved. If you have any cover or concealment at the end of this movement, you can take the Hide action as part of the same reaction, and you can even attempt to hide from creatures who saw you move. (So you don't get caught stalking people LIKE A VAMPIRE!)
Nightshield
1st-level abjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
There is a bare whisper of rushing air as a protective field of shadowy energy cloaks your body. For the duration, you have resistance to force damage from spells, and you take no damage from magic missile. In addition, for the spell’s duration, whenever you make a saving throw, roll a d4 and add the number rolled as a bonus to your saving throw. The spell ends at the end of the turn if you are exposed to direct sunlight. (like a vampire)
It seems to be written in Deep Speech. Does Wirrow open it?
As the healing takes hold, the horse stands up suddenly.
"Ah, I see you have taken a liking to this horse." The voice comes from an elven stablehand nearby. "He is strong and brave. Or, he will be again." She laughs lightly as the horse nuzzles Runeson's shoulder. "And it seems he has taken a liking to you as well!"
She reaches into a pouch and pulls out a red apple. "Give this to him; he deserves a treat."